As a homeowner deals with the aggravation of a broken window and the need for Glass Replacement in Naperville, it may cross this person’s mind that plastic windows might be better than glass ones. Why don’t window manufacturers use plastic instead of glass for these home features? This may seem like an obvious solution to the problem of breaking glass, but in reality, it’s not all that feasible.

It’s true that glass has its disadvantages, including a certain level of fragility. It also can cause injury when it breaks. However, glass is sturdier than many people give it credit for. In addition, its rigidity keeps it flat. Installing a plastic material with the same level of rigidity would mean the plastic would be fragile as well.

Glass also doesn’t scratch as easily as plastic does. Many versions of plastic become softer in excessive heat, although this isn’t as likely a problem in Illinois as it would be in a climate like that of southern Arizona. Glass generally lasts longer than plastic. Unless windows are broken, they usually never actually need to be replaced. Homeowners choose to replace windows for energy efficiency and to change styles. In addition, there will still be a need for breakable windows in most homes, to function as emergency exits.

Even impact-resistance glass, commonly called hurricane glass, doesn’t technically stop a window from being broken and needing replacement. With a laminated sheet in the middle between two panes, the glass doesn’t break into shards or shatter on impact, but the exterior pane still cracks. One of its main advantages involves stopping wind-driven rain and debris from getting into a house during a storm, as would happen when a regular glass window breaks. The other advantage is preventing break-ins since burglars cannot bust through the glass. Tempered glass is another option for stronger material, but it also breaks upon impact.

One day, Glass Replacement in Naperville may be perfected so that the material won’t even crack if it’s hit by a baseball or a flying tree branch. Until then, homeowners must pick up the pieces, hang a tarp or nail aboard over the open space, and Contact Bolingbrook Glass & Mirror for assistance.